Improvement in fifth-wheels for carriages



H. A. LUTTGENS.

Fifth-Wheel for Carriages.

Patented Jan. 14, i873.

UNITED STATES PATENT CEETUE.

HENRY A. LUTTGENS, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIFTH-WHEELS FOR CARRlAGES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 13&,907, dated January14, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY AUGUSTUS LUTTGENS, of Paterson, in the countyof Passaic, in the State of New Jersey, have invented a new and ImprovedFifth-Wheel for Car- Y riages and I do hereby declare that the foladaptit to various connections and functions, i

and the ldwer plate being constructed to operate therewith the Wholebeing strong, durable, and compact, and produced at less cost thanothers of its class, as hereinafter fully described.

A is the upper plate of the fifth-wheel, being a continuousweb withexception of the cavity formed by the head-block C. The plate A isprovided with a rim, p, cast to the outer edge thereof, and fittingloosely around the lower plate B. A projection, s, is cast to rim p,clasping the lower plate B, and a central socket, a, projecting from theplate A, is bored and recessed to receive the head `and upper end ofking-bolt z. A thin metal plate, Z, se-, cured by a pin to the upperface of this socket, is placed in an inclined position toward.

head-block C, fitting closely over the cavity for the head of king-boltz. The flanges t toast to the upper plate A are shaped in a manner toform the head-block G, receiving spring a. The latter is secured bybolts e. An oilcup, cl, which may be filled with a sponge, is cast tothe upper face of plate A. It is provided with an opening at its bottom,for admitting oil between the inner surfaces of the upper plate A andlower plate B of the fifthwheel. Projections a on the inner portion of.and forming part of the upper wheel A receive the reaches D. Ribs 9,Figs. I and II, cast to the upper face of projections u, are tted intocorresponding grooves formed in the bottom face of reaches D. Thereach-irons m' rest on front axle F of the carriage, and it projects lbelow the axle F to insure thefree movement of the king-bolt braceibelow the axle F.

The socket bis cast to the lower side of the plate B, and also projectsbeyond the upper face thereof, and may be made to enter a distance intothe socket a formed in the center of plate A, as shownin section in Fig.II, thereby increasing the amount of wearing-surface.

A ilange forming part of the lower plate B,"

and the socket b containing king-bolt z, is

tirmly riveted or bolted to the bed-piece E- and axle F. These boltslikewise secure a plate or washer, k, bent and riveted to the lowerplate B. The lower end of king-bolt brace l1l is fitted and secured tothe bottom of the king-bolt z by a nut upon the lower end of the latter.The hole in brace h for the reception of the king-bolt z may be round orsquare, since the :dat side of the head of the king-bolt will preventits turning while the nut is tightened to secure the brace h toking-bolt z. It' the hole in brace h is round it must be made of lessdiameter than king-bolt z, and the king-boltis reducedin diameter belowthe socket. The reach-ironsm, secured to the top of the reaches D,receive, at a proper distance from the head-block C, the cross-bar t',which is secured to reaches D by bolts or rivets. The cross-bar t isprovided with an inclined central socket, having a hole to receive theupper end of king-bolt brace h. The brace it is secured to the cross-barz' by two nuts fitted to the end of the brace h; these nuts tighten uponthe upper and lower face of the inclined socket of cross-bar t'. A thinring of metal or leather may be interposed between thefifthwheel platesA and B 5 it may also be fastened by rivets or otherwise to the upper orlower plate A or B; and in case of this ring being made of leather theface of either the upper or lowerplates may be roughened by smallprojections or ribs, to hold the leather in position by the weightresting upon it, while the plate A or B, not so provided, turns upon theface of the leather with the movements of aXle F.

If the upper fifth-wheel plate A should be made of a lighter materialthan metal, it will require a metal ring to be riveted or fastened tothe inner side thereof for wear and strength.

The operation ofthe fifth-wheel is as follows: The weight of the forwardpart of the carriage is supported by spring a, secured to headblock 0above the upper plate A, and bearing upon the lower plate B, while thereaches D D, secured to projections U of plate A, firmly hold thelatter, with the parts connected thereto, in their proper position. Thelower plate B, secured to bed-piece E and axle F, turns by means of itssocket upon king-bolt z, which latter is actuated, for nearly its wholelength, by the weight necessary to move the carriage, and, beingaccessible at the top by thel removal of the plate l, it can be readilyoiled, while when in use it is entirely protected from dust. Thevertical position of the king-bolt is insured by the king-bolt brace hpassing through the central inclined socket of cross-bar il, to

which it is secured by nuts upon brace h. The inclined position of plateZ toward the headj block G causes the former to remain closed by its ownweight. The strain of the king-bolt brace h is received by thereach-irons m placed upon reaches D. The interior surfaces of the fifthwheel plates A .and B, receiving oil through oil-cup d, are preservedfrom dust by the rim or fiange p ofupper plate A projecting over theouter edge of lower plate B 5 iian ge p fits loosely over the outer edgeof plate B, and

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is not intended to be in contact with the same, but to allow the lowerfifth-wheel B to turnl freely upon kin g-bolt z; its ability forexcluding dust consists in the fact that it projects over and covers thewhole depth of the lower fifth-wheel plate B. A thin ring of metal or ofleather interposed between the upper and lower plates A and B willdiminish the wear of the latter in case that the metal used in theconstruction of both plates should be of the saine kind and quality.Projection S, cast to rim p of the upper fifth-wheel plate A, andclasping the lower plate B, is intended as a safe-guard; and by means ofthe same the carriage may move forward without the kingbolt z and itsbrace h. The ribs 9, cast to the upper face of projections u of plate A,and titted into the bottom face of reaches D, materially assist thebolts or rivets to firmly connect the reaches l? with the upperfifth-.wheel plate A.

I do not claim, broadly, feature of my invention; but

The improved fifth-wheel, composed of the plate A, provided with socketsc and d, the flanges p s, the socket-arms u u r/ g, and the head-blockG, all formed or cast in one piece, in combination with the lower plateB, provided with the king-bolt socket b, and withl the recesses andflanges cast therewith, as specified, all constructed, arranged, andoperating as "shown and described.

H. A. LUTTGENS.

Witnesses:

Jol-1N H. QUAIN, JN0. BRUsH.

any individual

